`NHIS not hub of corruption’ – Acting ES

Malam Attahiru Ibrahim, the Acting Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), says attempt to smear the corporate image of the scheme as hub of corruption is untrue and unacceptable.

Ibrahim said this while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja on the activities of the scheme.He said that NHIS strongly support the rule of law.He assured that anyone found wanting whether within or outside the scheme would be handed over to the agencies of government with appropriate mandate to make such people accountable.“Those who have been abusing their privileges around the scheme should be made to face the consequences of their actions in full measure,’’ Ibrahim said.However, he noted that the scheme has not done badly in the implementation of its mandate 12 years after its official inauguration.“The scheme through the diligence and integrity of members of staff grew the pool of the fund significantly.“The scheme has also achieved close to 100 per cent coverage of all contributors in the formal sector, which includes employees of Federal Government, Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme, among others,’’ he said.According to him, “the scheme is rapidly emerging from the distractions of the last one year, and it will be giving a lot of energy to its activities’’.He reassured Nigerians that the scheme would continue in its tradition of being a socially responsible public institution.Meanwhile, the executive secretary has appealed for the amendment of the Act establishing the scheme.He said that the section that made enrolment into the scheme optional should be amended to make enrolment into the scheme compulsory to achieve Universal Health Coverage.Ibrahim said the scheme was working closely with state governments to establish state health insurance scheme and ensure that enrolment was made compulsory.